Improvement in trunks



M. H. BLISS.

Trunks. Y

No.138,000, PatentedApril22,1873.

UNITED STATES .PATENT OFFICE.y

MARTI H. BLISS, 0F DALTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN T'RuNKs.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 138,000, datedApril 22,'1873; application filed May 17, 187%.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, MARTIN H. BLIss, of Dalton, in the county ofBerkshire and State of Massachusetts, have invented a Combined Trunk,Dressing-Bureau, and Writing-Desk, of which the following is aspecification:

The object of my invention is to provide a portable and transformablepiece of furniture adapted for various uses. It consists in forming atrunk or chest in such a manner that it can be unfolded to present theappearance and possess the conveniences of a dressingbureau and awriting-desk, all as hereinafter fully set forth. s

My drawing is a miniature perspective view, showing a half-section of mytrunk closed and lying on its side or face, with the other halfsectionunfolded and in a position as a dressing-bureau and writing-desk.

A A is the lower half-section of the trunk. B B is the upperhalfsection. They are hinged together in any common way. This trunk orchest, forming the outside frame and casing of my invention, may be madeof any lmaterial desired, and may vary in size and form, and may becovered and ornamented in a manner common to trunks, or may be moldedand painted to resemble atool-chest. Nos. 1 2 3 4. are drawers, made oflight wood, paper board, or sheet metal, and slide in and out in amanner common to bureau-drawers. No. e is a small deep drawer, designedfor a bonnet or hat box. Another drawer, corresponding with No. 4, is inthe opposite corner, but not shown in the drawing. Handles or knobs andlocks or catches, of any common form, may be put on the drawers. a a isa hinged section of the front part of the upper half-section B B. b b isa carved board attached on the under side and rear edge of the hingedsection a a. When unfolded, the hinged section is turned upward andbackward, and lies at upon the top, and the carved board b b will thenstand upright. c is a toilet-glass, framed or pivoted in the board b b.d is abracket. These same parts a a, b b, and c are seen in the foldedportion of the trunk, and in their relative places when they are foldedand the trunk closed. 5, 6, 7 and S represent a series of pigeon-holesand shelving for a writing-desk. C C is the folding desk, divided andhinged in its middle. The drawing represents the desk open and thehinged leaf C C extending in front of the drawers. When closed, asrepresented, in the folded section of the trunk, it covers and concealsthe pigeon -holes and shelving. f f is a convex head designed to t intoa correspending groove in the upper section of the trunk end piece, toaid in closing and holding the twol sections rmly together. g is acommon trunk-lock.

To transform mytrunk into a combined dressing-bureau and writing desk,unlock it, turn it forward to rest on its face, and then turn the frontand upper half -section B B upward and backward until it rests in aperpendicular position on the top of the lower section A A. In thisposition the drawers will be horizontal, as required in a bureau. Next,free the hinged section a. a from the closed desk-lid C C, and turn thesection upward and backward until it rests in a horizontal position onthe top of B B. The glass c, mounted in the carved board b b, will bethereby brought into proper position for use as a toilet-glass. Nextturn downward and forward the folding desk-lid C C into a horizontalposition to form a writing -desk and to uncover the series ofpigeon-holes that were thereby closed and concealed.

Byreverse movements of the parts named the desk and bureau will befolded to assume the appearance and possess the advantages of a portabletrunk.

I am aware that drawers and shelves, folding lids, and toilet-glasses,have been used in combination with trunks. I claim, however, that mymanner of combining a toilet-glass and desk with a sectional trunk, toproduce a transformable piece of furniture, is new and advantageous.

Claims.

` 1. In the construction of a bureau-trunk, the hinged section a.,carrying the carved board b and glass c, in the manner described, andfor the purposesspecifled.

2. In the construction of a bureau-trunk, the hinged section a and thehinged lid C,

whencombined and operated together,` to when formed end adapted for thealternate close and conceal the series of pigeon-holes 5 uses of atrunk, bureau, and desk, in the spel 6 7 8, While at the same timeadapted for incic manner set forth.

dependent uses-the first as a support for the MARTIN H. BLISS. l glasso, and the second to form the Writingdesk C C. Witnesses:

3. As an improved article of manufacture, J. J. MODILL, thetransformable piece of furniture described, L. PERKINS.

